Means for operating rock-fans



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. WEHRLE. I MEANS FOR OPERATING ROCK FANS.

Patented Mar. 29,1892.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. WBHRLE. MEAN'SFOR OPERATING ROCK FANS.

Patented Mar. 29, 1892;

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(No Model.) T '3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. R. WEHHLE.

. MEANS FOR OPERATING ROCK FANS; NO. 471,581. Patented Mar. 29, 1892.

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:UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTCE.

ROBERT WEHRLE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

M EANS FOR OPERATING ROCK-FAN S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,581, dated March 29,1892.

Application filed September 28, 1888I Renewed August 29, 1891. Serial ITO-404,085. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WEHRLE, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Operating Rock-Fans,

850., of which the following is afull,clear, and exact description,-reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for multiple automatic rock-fans that have co-opera tive movements to actuate theindividual fans, that operate in various rooms or compartments, of a building; and the invention consists in: features of novelty hereinafter fully described,

and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a vertical section of a house, showing arrangements of the fan and an outer View of the closet in which are i-nclosed the mechani-- cal actuating devices. Fig. II is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section'taken on line II II, Fig. III, and shows the toggle bell-crank-l actuating gear of the shafts that operate thev individual fans. Fig-III is an enlarged trans. verse vertical section taken on line III III, Fig. II, and gives a transverse view of the; same with a detail of the mechanical move-f Fig. IV is an;

ment that actuates the fans. enlarged detail taken in vertical section on line IV IV,-Fig. II, and shows the anti-friction foot-bearing of the major bell-crank lever. Fig. V is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on line V V, Fig. II, and shows the. anti-friction compound bearing-of the minor Fig. VI is an enlarged d6: tail vertical section of the oil-box, rock shaft bell-crank lever.

or pin, and its bearing. Fig. VII is an enlarged vertical front view of the adjustable fan. Fig. VIII is an enlarged end view of the fan. Fig. X is an enlarged vertical detail of the cross-head and the pendent strip for the attachment of the fan. Fig. XIis an enlarged vertical section taken on line XI XI, Fig. VII, and shows the thumb-screw that fastens the vertical adjustment of the fan. Fig. XII is an enlarged modification of the major bellcrank lever in which a pendent rock-arm andcoupling toggle-links replace the rack-andgear drive and eifect their functions. Fig.

the rock-fans.

Fig. IX is an enlarged vertical section I taken on line IX IX, Fig. VII, and shows the cross-head that acts as a counterpoise to the i XIII is an enlarged end view of the same.

FigLXIVis an enlarged bottom viewof the sectional clock-weight, showing its bottom section, with the screw-nut that engages onthe bottom of the weight-rod inlaid in a recess on the face of said section; and Fig. XV is a horizontal section taken on line XV XV, Fig. XII, and shows the upper counterbalance-weight on the modified major bell-crank lever.

Referring to the drawings in which similar figures of reference indicate like parts in all the views, 1 representsa house, in the rooms 2 on both floors of which my rock-fans 3 are located.

.4 is a cupboard in one of the rooms on the ground-floor of said house, (butsaid cupboard may be placed in any room on either floor.) In said cupboard is housed the clock-work mechanical movement that actuates the rockfans throughout the house,and 5 are the doors of said cupboard that inclose said movement from view and from the contamination of dust.

6 represents the pulley-drum of the clock mechanical movement, which clock operates My said mechanical movement'being the subject-matter of my patent,

No.409,0 82, issued August 13, 1889, the conbracket to the top of the cupboard, the weight g 14, that runs the works of the movement, the box 15, that incases the clock -cwork, the screw bolts or posts 16, that secure'thelplates of said ease together, (and which may project from the, back of said case and secure it tO-u.

the back of the cupboard,'or it may be'secu'red thereto by any other suitable means) and'the pulsating pendulum-bar 17, that actuates the toggle of the bell-crank rock-gear movement of the fans.

The weight 14, that runs the clock mechanical movement,is constructed of removable sections 18 to adjust said weight in accordance loop 21 at top of saidrod, through which the cord is passed, and to which it is secured; A screw-nut 22 is engaged in the threaded bottom terminal of said rod to hold the sectional'weight, and the bottom of the lower section of said weight is provided with a square recess or socket 23,in which the screwnut on the lower terminal of the rod is seated.

The said-lower section when thus stationed on said rod supports the next superincumbent section, and so on, section after section is seated thereon until the weight is sufficiently heavy to work the fan or fans.

This sectional weight is thus made to accommodate itself to the number and size of the fans ithas to operate, which may vary largely inboth respects in different buildings to accord with the number and size of the rooms inwhich the fansoperate.

I will now proceed to describe the toggle bell-crank rock drive-gear that actuates the fans.

24 represents a yoke for the adjustablecoupling which connects said pulsating bar to the rock-gear movement thatit actuates. The

Iyoke has a pivot-bearing 25 in its center, in

, flanged front plate 36.

which is seated a screw-bolt 26, which boltpasses through holes in the lower terminal of the pulsating bar and the upper terminal of 'the pendent counterpoise-bar 27, and thus couples the said two bars together and to the yoke in which they have pivotal bearings.

The bars are located on the reverse sides of said yoke, and the bolt is secured in its seat by the nut 28.

29 represent curvilinear slots,'re1ativelylo cated near the upper and lower ends of the.

yoke, and 30 are thumb-screws, which are p rovidedwith conical winged heads,and which 1 relatively pass through the correspondingslots in the yoke and through perforations relatively in the pulsating and counterpoise bars, and their screw-terminals are engaged 1 The curvilinear slots in the coupling-yoke, in conjunction with the 3 thumb screws, provide the means for adj usting and setting the pulsations of the toggle; bell-crank gear-drive that actuates the fans.

in the screw-nuts 31.

is a counterpois'e-weight which is adjustable vertically on the counterpoise-bar,

and is there secured by the set-screw 33. j

34 represents an adjustable clip that is constructed of a straight rear plate 35 and The flanged plate provides a recess in which is seated the connterpoise-bar, against the back of which the straight plate is seated,and screws 37 pass through perforations in the flanged ends of the forward plate and engage in their thread cut-aways to aid the attachment of the journal-box.

40 represents a toggle-link whose lower perforated end isseated on the spindle 39 and there secured by the key 41, which is seated in the key-hole 42 in said spindle. The upper end of said toggle-link has a series of perforations 43, in which and in a like series 44 in the foot of the minor bell-crank lever 45 the pivot-screw bolt 46 engages and in the different holes in which it can be adjusted to lengthen or shorten the toggle connections of the drive-gear, and thus, also, the length of swing of the rock-fan. I

The minorbell-crank lever works on a compound or double journal-bearing constituted of the block 47, which is secured by the screws 48 to the back of the cupboard. To the said block isbolteda clevis clip or bail49, through a perforation in which is projected a journalspindle 50 for a sufficient distance to formthe inner member of thecompound journal-bearing, forming an immovable journal thereto. Asimilar journal-spindle 51 projects inwardly from the joint angle of the minor bell-crank lever, or, if preferred, from an angle-block rigidly secured to the. junction crank-arms of said lever, and said latter spindle passes inwardlythrough afperforation in the corresponding bail 52 to the one (numbered 49) which is rigidly secured to the block 47, that carries this com pound journal-bearing.

Of the journal-spindles 49 is the stationary memberof the compound journal, being, as stated, rigidly secured to the sustaining-block 47 and to the stationary member of the corresponding bail-clips, and 52 is the movable member, being rigidlylsecured to the rocking ,minor bell-crank lever and to the rocking member of the corresponding bail-clips with which the latter spindle moves. With both spindles, each relatively, after passing individually through the member of the corresponding bail-clip with which it is rigidly connected also passes through the terminal angle-arm in the associate bail in which it has loose bearings 53 for the arm of the stationary bail provides loose bearings for the rocking spindle and the arm of the rocking bail-like bearings for the stationary spindle. Keys 54 engage relatively in their seats 55 near the terminal ends of said spindles and secure the compound journal-bearing from d a hm nt i I ITC It will be seen that the above-described compound bearing materially steadies the movements of the minor bell-crank lever and;

of the toggle-links with which it is associated. The upper arm of the minor bell-crank lever engages with the toggle-link 56, to which it in the upper end of said toggle-link and 61 in.

the lower arm of the major bell-cranklever 62 form similar adjustable seats for the bolt 63, that connects said toggle-link to said bellcrank lever.

The major bell-crank lever is provided with -'an inverted conical foot 64, which should be of metal, and in consequence when the bell-.

crank levers and toggle-links are of wood the said foot-point, being of metal, is provided with a surmounting flange or flanges, which .are secured to the pendent leg 65 of the said. lever by screw-bolts 66; but when said leversare of metal the foot-cone bearing may be: The said} constructed integral, therewith. foot of the major bell-crank lever rests and works in a conical cup or socket bearing ($75 in a foot-boxing 6S, and the inverted apex of; the bearing is provided with an oil-cup (39.

The boX-bearingis adjustable within a flanged bedplate70, that rests on and is secured by screw-bolts 71 to the bracket 72, that projects from and is'secured to the rear wall of the, Ascrew clamp 73, by the operation of its thumb-screw. 74, firmly clamps the foot'boxing to its de cupboard by any suitable means.

sired location on the bed-plate.

cupboard.

to said cross-head by the screw-bolts 81, surmounts the major bell-crank lever, to which it is secured by the screw-bolts 82 when said bell-crank lever is of wood; but whensaid lever is constructed of cast-iron or other metal the cross-head, and, if preferred, the geared rack also, maybe cast or formed integral with said bell-crank lever. The frame of thecrosS- head carries two vertical anti-friction rollers 83, and when the major bell-crank lever and its surmounting cross-head and geared rack are rocked the cross-head, with its frictionrollers, works to and fro within the guideway 84 in the platform 75.

The cogs of the rack 75 mesh into those of the drive gear-wheel 85, which drive-wheel The rock-shaft 86 has a major rear bearing 88, of equal diameter to the shaft in the oilcup 89, and aminor bearing 90, forming a terminal hearing within a journal-box 91, that is housed within the bracket 92, which is secured to the back of the cupboard by the screws 93. The rock-shaft has a secondary bearing within the journal box 95, that is secured by screws 96 to the front middle stile 97 of the cupboard inside the same between the doors, and said rock-shaft passes through a perforation in said stile and projects into the room in front ofthe cupboard that contains the power for any desired distance for the right location of the fan. The said shaft is shown broken away immediatelyin front of the cupboard to indicate that its extension may be indefinitely projected into the room. 98 represents the pendentcarrier-bar of said rock-shaftfan as it is constructed for direct attachment to the rock-shaft 86 for operation in the power-room,

where the machine-cupboard is located. This carrier-bar, with its means for attachment, is in some particulars diverse from the fan attachments in the other rooms, in which said attachment is not direct to said rock-shaft, as will hereinafter be more particularly described. The said carrier-bar is provided with a screw-socket collar 99 at its back, into which the screw-threaded projected terminal of said rock-shaft is made to engage, and thereby the fan that works in said power-room receives its rocking movement.

100 represents the brace-bracket, which is seated on the rock-shaft at the back of the pendent carrier-bar, and is there rigidly held to its adjusted seat by set-screw 101. Screwbolts 102,-above and below at the terminals of j the brace-bracket, secure said bracket to the 75 represents a guideway-platform, which is secured by screws 76 to the brackets 77, which support it, and which brackets are se-f cured by screws 78 to the back wall of the:

carrier-bar, so thatsaid bar is thus-securely braced.

A cross-head 113, a detail of which is shown in Fig. III, (and which is fully shown in Figs.

a VII, VIII, IX, and X'in .a somewhat different 79 represents a cross head rack bearer, which, with its geared rack 80, that is secured attachment as used in all except the powerroom,) is secured by the upper brace-bracket screw 102 to the pendent carrier-bar 98 of the fan, a similar carrier-bar to which is securely attached to the other endof said cross-head. The said cross-head and carrier-bars or their equivalents are shown in the above-named figures and. hereinafter fully pointed out in the description of said parts as used in all but the power-room. The other attachments of the fan being identical in all the rooms, I will now proceed to describe.

The fan-stems 103 are secured to the paddle or blade 104 of the fan by screw-bolts 105,'and the stems are themselves secured in theirvertical adjustment to the carrier-bars by setscrews 106, that pass through the perforations 107 in said carrier-bars and the elongated slots 108 of the fan-stems, and when said fan is vertically adjusted and the heads of the set-screws are seated in the countersinks in thecarrier-barsthethnmb-nuts109arescrewed home onsaid set-screws and clamp the fan- IIO stems in their vertical adjustment to the car- The fans in the other rooms than shafts, and said bolt is secured in its seat by the spring-key 112. The drive-shafts pass through apertures in the partitions to the cross'head yokes of the fans, with which they are pivotally connected, as hereinafter described.

113 represents the cross heads or yokes; from which hang the pendent carrier-bars 98, to which the adjustable fan-stems are secured, which cross-heads and carrier-bars, although slightly varied in their attachments to those used in the power-room, they themselves are equivalents and counterparts thereof and will not here be more fully described. The crossheads are carried by trunnions 114, that are screw-seated in the perforate screw-sockets 161 in the carrier-bars 98. The trunnions have their bearings within the journal-boxes 115, that are suspended from hangers 116 and may beintegral therewith. The said hangers are socured by screw-bolts 117 to attachment-beams 118, that are securely bolted to the ceilingjoists above. The trunnions 114 have similar double journals to that on the inner end of the rock-shaft 86 of the drive gear-wheel' The pendent carrier-bars 98 are secured in boxings 125 in the ends of the cross-heads by screws 126, and provide the same means for the adjustable attachment of the fan-stems 103 as do their equivalents in use and for the same purpose in the power-room of the build ing. They, besides seating the trunnions, are provided with perforations 107, as stated, for seating the set-screws for securing the adj ustment of the vertical position of the fans, and they have like fan-blades with their slotted attachment-stems with set and thumb screws for fastening said adjusted attachment, which are alike provided and alike numbered, as described in those of the power-room, as they are also in the rooms on the other floors of the building.

The cross-head is constructed of cast-iron or other metal, and is provided with a longitudinal boxing 127. In said boxing is seated a lead bar 128, which constitutes a counterpoise to balance the Weight of the fan, and said bar may extend above the boxing in which it is seated to increase the balanceweight, when desired. The fan itself, with its constituent attachment parts, as stated,

have already been described in that of the power-room. v

Pivot-pins 129 pivotally secure the driveshafts 87 to the cross-heads, and as said shafts are moved longitudinally by the drive-wheel 86 when actuated by the toggle bell-crank movement that is generated by the mechanical movement in the power-room they thus actuate the fan.

It will be seen that as the power is applied to the cross-head at but a short leverage above its journal-bearings and the fan is on the other hand suspended far beneath said crosshead in consequence a very-slight reciprocating movement of the drive-shafts 87 results in an extensive rock movement of the fans.

130 represents a vertical drive-shaft that is pivotally secured to the drive gear-wheel 85 and passes up through openings in the top of the cupboard, the ceiling of the room, and the floor of the room overhead and extend to a short distance beneath the ceiling of said room, and to the top of said vertical shafttwin bell-crank levers 131 are pivotally secured by the bolt which engages in its perforate seat therein. The said bell-cranks have their crank-bearings in the hanger 135, to whichthey have pivotal connection by the bolts 136, and said hanger is secured to the joints of the ceiling above by screw-bolts 137. The upper ends of said bell-crank levers are seated within the bifurcated ends 138 (not shown) of the corresponding drive-shafts 87, that operate in the rooms on said floor, and are pivotally connected to and between the forks of said shafts by the bolts 139. The said drive-shafts are alike pivotally connected with the cross-heads of the fans, which are alike supported by like hangers, and all such parts like numbered, as are the" similar parts in other rooms. The drive shafts also work through apertures in t.hepartitions to pass from room to room, as on the floor below, as previously described. It will be seen that as the vertical shaft is alternately elevated and depressed by the rocking of the gear-wheel the bell-crank levers at the head of said shaft give a reciprocating movement to the driveshafts that rock the cross-heads and their pendent fans, so that the fans are alike actuated as are those on the floor below.

Should there be more than two floors in the building, extensions of the vertical driveshaft, with duplicated bell-crank and other actuating attachments, as described, for the second floor, will work the fans in any of the floors above.

In Figs. XII and'Xl'll are shown a modification of the driven attachments of the major bell-crank lever that operates on the rockshaft 86 by means of a double gallows-arm 14:0, connecting toggle-links 141 and a pendent rock-arm 142, that is rigidly secured to said rock-shaft. This modification dispenses with the cog-gear combination of the rack and drive-wheel, The said bell-crank lever, which I itself is substantially the equivalent of the IIO major bell-crank, already described, with its metal foot-point 64, heel-piece 65, and the crank-arm havinglike adj nsting perforations 61, instead of being surmounted by a crosshead frame-rack and gear drive-wheel, is secured by a screw-bolt 143 to the double gallows-arm 140, the bolt passing through adj usting perforations 144 in said double arm and through its perforate seat at the head of the bell-crank into the horizontal stud 145, that projects from and whose farther end is secured to the back of the cupboard. The toggle-links 141 are provided with adjusting perforations 146 at each end of the links, which, in conjunction with the perforations 147 in the outer ends of the double gallowsarm and the perforations 148 in the pendent rock-arm and the pivotal screw-bolts, relatively 149 and 150, that secure said links to said gallows-arm and said rock-arm, provide the means, in conjunction with like take-up arrangements, already described, by the arrangement of the bolts in their relative adj ustable seats, as described, to vary the rock of the drive-shaft and consequent rock of the fans. Y

151 represents the horizontal, and 152 the inclined, arm of a sectional brace that adj ustably upholds the outstretched double gallows-arm. The said two sections aresecured together by the bolt 154, to the bell-cranklever by the bolt 1'53, and to the arms above by the bolt 155. Perforations 156 in the upper end of the inclined arm provide the means for changing the presentation of the outstretched double arm 140 to accord with those of the pendent rock-arm, to which at the time the toggle-links connect.v v

157 represents a counterpoise-weight that is made of two cast sections whose flanges meet around the edge of the modified form of my major bell-crank lever, and 158 are set.-

.screws or screw-bolts that are seated in perforations of said flanges and tightly clamp the section-plates of the counterpoise-weight together.

159 represents another counterpoise-weight that'hangs from a cord 160, that is secured to the sectional brace of my modified form of the major bell-crank lever just back af the knee at the junctions of the sections of said brace.

162 represents hooks that hang from staplebrackets 163, which are secured by screwbolts 164 to the top of the cupboard. These hooks are used when it is desired to cut off the action of the power on any particular fan, which is effected by detaching the horizontal drive-shaft 87, that actuates said fan, at the bolt 111 and hooking said hook relatively either in the bolt-hole 110, vacated by said bolt, or in the slot 165 in the drive-shaft, according as it is desired either tohold the fan elevated or allow it to hang pendent while idle.

It will be seen that the drive gear-wheel can be readjusted when the cogs in use get worn, and an additional perforation is provided for changing the attachment (in such case) of the horizontal and vertical driveshafts.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the slotted yoke, the adjustable bell-crank lever, the links, the cross-head 79, that surmounts the major bellcrank lever, the guideway platform that guides the cross-head in its rock movements, and the anti-friction rollers 83, that run in said cross-head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the yoke 24,thebellcrank levers and links for transmitting the power, the cross-head 83, the rack that surmounts said cross-head, and the drive gearwheel with which said rack meshes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the bell-crank rackgear that operates the drive-shafts, the vertical drive-shaft 130, the twin bell-crank levers 131, and the hanger that provides the bellcrank bearings for said levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the bell-crank rackgear that operates the drive-shafts, said driveshafts,. the rock shaft 86, that carries the drive gearwheel, the double journal, and compound bearings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the bell-crank rack- I gear and drive-shafts, the block 47, secured to the back of the power-cupboard, the compound bearings carried by said block, which provides a double-bail-braced journal-bearing for the minor bell-crank lever 45, the conesocket box which provides the foot-bearing of the major bell-crank lever 62, the flanged bed-plate 70, in which said box is adjustably located, and the clip. set-screw that secures said adjustment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the bell-crank rackgear and drive-shafts, the hooks 162, and the staple-brackets from which said hooks are suspended, the said hooks arranged to engage in the slots 165 in the horizontal driveshafts when they are unshipped from their drive attachment-bolt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the bell-crank rack ROBERT WVEHRLE.

In presence of BENJN. A. KNIGHT, EDW. S. KNIGHT. 

